There are innumerable beautiful and interesting animals living in the wild, hardly ever seen because much of their activity is at night or their homes are in places difficult to reach.
One of these is the marten, making its home in much of Canada and Alaska as well as parts of the United States. Sometimes it is incorrectly referred to as a sable or fisher-marten, but it is somewhat different than these, although closely related. This animal’s soft fur is usually, gray or brownish above and lighter below, but occasionally black or yellowish. Hunters have for years trapped them in winter months when their fur is at its best quality, but this hunting is no longer permitted in most places.
The marten has a rather sharp face, with the appearance of always wondering what’s going on. Its ears are large and alert and its eyes are extra large — provisions of the Creator to enable it to identify sounds quickly and see well when hunting at night.
It is mostly at home in trees where it can keep up with the liveliest squirrel or chipmunk. Sad to say, part of its tree-food comes from eggs and small birds taken from nests, but it finds other food on the ground as well. This includes almost any small animal, such as squirrels and mice, snakes, etc. It has a “sweet tooth” and is not afraid to rob a beehive, since its thick fur protects it from bee stings. Unlike the fisher-marten it will not go into deep water, but does catch frogs and fish near the shore.
In late spring the mother has her babies in a den, usually made in a hollow log or a tree. They are born with a light covering of soft fur, are extremely tiny (weighing only an ounce or so), but are fully grown in three months. While growing up they are frisky and full of pep, often having harmless fights among themselves. Later that energy is spent in continual hunting for food or fighting other animals.
As mentioned earlier, martens are not often seen by people, but they are seen by their Creator, of whom it is said, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?” Jeremiah 23:2424Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24). And this Creator, the Lord God, whose eyes are always on them is the One who provides for them as well, for He loves and cares for all His creatures.
How thankful we should be that He is also watching over every one of us. The Bible assures us of this, saying: “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He pondereth [pays attention to] all his goings.” Proverbs 5:2121For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. (Proverbs 5:21). Is He pleased when He sees the ways of your life each day?
ML-01/18/1987